miradorfandomcom-20200214-history
Dwarves
Dwarves are one of the playable races on Mirador and are more traditionally presented in their original form in the 4E Player's Handbook (pgs. 36-37). What Do I Need To Know? Buzzwords: Stout, Sturdy, Drunk, Hairy, Strong, Deep High School Metaphor: The Shop kid. Uncultured and ill-mannered but a quiet genius at his or her craft. In the action movie, dwarves are probably the strong, smart-talking, black mechanic. Religion: Mostly areligious, though modern young Dwarves find themselves championing Moradin, or sometimes Erathis or Kord. Very few direct Bahamut worship. Old World Dwarves more find themselves adhering to ancient Philosopher Kings as their Champion. Mirador Bonuses: +1 CON; +2 Endurance and choice of +2 Dungeoneering or +2 History. Common Classes: Fighter, Paladin, Warlord (Rangers and Clerics more modernly) Areas of the World: Mountains, hills and vales of mid-northern Ventoozlar, Dwarven Continent Drunken Musings Dwarves are a stout, sturdy race of small stature and are a ubiquitous presence throughout Mirador. They celebrate their ancestors above all else, and are not generally considered a religious people, although many dwarves far from the mountains of the Dwarven Continent have converted to the lures of the church. Dwarves claim to be the first race of the Fifth Age (the post-Giant Age), reasoning that after the world was buried by the Giant War, it must have been the Dwarves who dug out from under the earth. Who else but the dwarves could build the (lesser) continents for the (lesser) other races to take seed and grow on? Why else would dwarven tunnels be discovered on every major continent, regardless of the lack of existing records for them? They must simply be the Eldest of all Races. True enough as younger and more contemporary dwarves migrated outward from their mountainous continent they often discovered old tunnels to inhabit, rather than settling and carving out new ones (though they did a little of that as well). Were the Five Founders so well travelled? Or do the dwarves have forebearers so ancient they have been forgotten even since the Age of Giants, or perhaps during? The rumor is, of course, that all tunnels are one tunnel, and that beneath all continents run ancient and forgotten conduits leading back to the homeland, and ultimately the Forbidden Kingdom, and the Tomb of the Five Founders. Without upkeep, it isn't difficult to imagine that those antediluvian connections could have collapsed to sheer walls or end in secret tunnels with secret mechanisms to get through. No underclan has the extra kinsmen to launch a full scale excavation of the deepest tunnels to find out, and besides, isn't the Forbidden Kingdom forbidden? So what would they do once they got to the end of their journey? These excuses are enough for the largely pragmatic dwarves to take a pass on work that doesn't churn the wheel of industry or feed dwarven mouths, even in the face of reconnecting with a truly phenomenal piece of their heritage. Even still, every year the Deepest Tunnels claim a dozen or so lives a year of the intrepid souls looking to write their names on their ancestors walls. On average dwarves are much more concerned with getting to tomorrow then pursuing romantic thoughts of religion and theoretical musings toward the origin of the universe. For an ancestor venerating people, they don't like to spend too much time looking backwards. Modern Dwarfishness A technical majority of Dwarves still live underground, but for Player Character purposes a larger number likely come from surface or near-surface (suburban) towns. In non-flowery language all the wee races are folded into the Dwarf race. Halflings, gnomes, etc, are all just shaved dwarves with tans. Open your conceptual Dwarf as being as much sword as plowshare. Battleaxes and gardening spades. Dwarves are by and large as short of patience and speech as they are in stature. They can easily come across as rude, but view themselves as pragmatically not wasting everyone's time with a bunch of boo-hooing and forced nicety. Which isn't to say Dwarves are without a bunch of pointless etiquettes, only that they favor everyone getting back to their day sooner rather than later. Rest assured, whether shorter on manners or not, Dwarves are thick in the halls of Society as much as any Eladrin Lord or Lady. Back in the Old Country, the Old Dwarves have a strict class or caste system. Unlike the Eladrin who try and get away with letting go as little as possible such predjudices while still being allowed in "polite" society, the Dwarves of Ventoozlar Continent were quicker to let go of that kind of institutionalized classism. There're still Haves and Have-Nots, but the invisible walls between them have broken down, and opportunities abound for a Clan wishing to improve it's station. A common story behind many a Level One adventurer heading out into the wild with adventure aflame in their eyes. Rolling With The Dwarves Ability Scores: +1 Constitution (was +2 Constitution and choice of +2 Strength or +2 Wisdom) Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance and choice of +2 Dungeoneering or +2 History (was +2 Dungeoneering and Endurance) Cast Iron Stomach: +5 to saves against Poison. Dwarven Resilience: Use Second Wind as a Minor Action. Dwarven Weapon Proficiency: '''Throwing hammer and warhammer. '''Encumbered Speed: You may move at your normal speed regardless of armor. Low Light Vision. Speed: Five (5) squares. Stand Your Ground: You may choose to be pulled, pushed and slid for one less (-1) square under any effect. If this reduces that number to zero, you don't have to move. Also, when being knocked prone you may immediately save. Category:Race